CENTRAL BANKS: Minutes from the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee meeting last month showed a divided Fed. Some members of its policy committee think interest rates should stay about where they are because inflation is still low. Others felt that rates should be raised because delays might lead to dangerously high inflation later. The account of the ECB's own meeting also showed caution about inflation and the concern that investors might be expecting a shift away from stimulus programs sooner than warranted by economic conditions.

JAPAN TRADE: Economic data out of Japan was relatively upbeat, showing exports and imports rose at a fast clip in July. That reflected a recovery in demand in China, Southeast Asia and the U.S., though export prices rose faster than volumes for many products. Exports rose more than 13 percent from a year earlier to 6.5 trillion yen ($59 billion) while imports jumped 16 percent to 6.1 trillion yen ($55 billion), helped by a surge in oil and coal shipments, according to data released Thursday.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude fell 17 cents to $46.61 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It lost 77 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $46.78 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, shed 11 cents to $50.16 per barrel. It dipped 53 cents, or 1 percent, to $50.27 a barrel in London.

CURRRENCIES: The euro fell sharply on the reporting showing the ECB policymakers are cautious about signaling a quick end to stimulus. It was down to $1.1693 from $1.1767 the day before. The dollar slipped to 110.11 yen from 110.20 yen.